Road-excavating machine



July 27, 1926.

D. s. MONROE ROAD EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed July 17,1922

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ously rotated in the saine direction to raise or lower the auxiliary frame 1l to any desired extent. y

Upon frame 1l at opposite points, two shaft hangers 3l are secured providing journais for a shaft 32 upon whicha ydigging drum 33 is secured. The drum 33 carries teeth and the teeth 34 being straight and preferably extending at an angle to radial lines through the drum axis with their ends sloping forwardly when they are in their lowerniost positions, and the teeth being bent away from the transverse medial plane of the drum, as'seen in Figure 2. Preferably the teeth 34'and 35ar`e rarranged in alternating circular series, as shown. As elearlyshown in Figures l and 2 the teeth in adjacent rows are arranged instaggered relation. The drum 83 is rotated from the motor 30 by gears 35a, 3G meshing with gears 3'?, 38 ona countershaft 39. The gears permit a change in speed of rotation of the drum to 'be had. A clutch 40 controlled by a lever 4l allows the opera-tor to shut off power from gears 37 and 38 and hence from the digging drum.v The countershaft 39 is rotated by a bevel gear 42 meshing with bevel pinion 48 on shaft 44 (Figure 2). A clutch 45 is interposed between shaft 44 and motor 30 and a clutchlever 46 gives the operator control over the rotation of shaft 39.

Besides the digging drum, the frame l1 mounts the material elevating and conveying means, by which the material loosened from the vroad by the digging drum can be carried up to a nearby motor truck to be transported away. rlhere are two journal bearing supports 47 in which the journal bearings 48u are slidably mounted. A shaft 4S is received at each end in the bearings and upon this shaft is mounted an elevating or conveying drum r49 provided with/dirt holding pockets 50 preferably of the shape shown in Figure l. The function of drum 49 isto pickl up the dirt or fragments of pavement cut by the digging drum and dcposit such material onto a conveyer located forwardly thereof.

The mechanism which l prefer to use to rotate the elevating drum includes 'a worm gear 51 on shaft 48 driven by a worm 52 on a vertical shaft 53 (see Figure l). rlhe elevating drum is preferably adjustable on the frame l1 independently of the digging drum so that its closeness to the surface of the roadmay be regulated to suit conditionsj yand the bearing 48eL is'slidably mounted in the hanger or bracket 47 for this reason. Obviously when the shaft 48 is moved upwardly, the worm gear 51 moves with 1t,

and' provision must' be had whereby the worm 59J 4also moves. This result may be reached b v slidably mounting the worm 52 yon its shaft 53 and keying it thereto whereby power is transmitted to the drum 49. The upper end of shaft 53 mounts a bevel gear 54 driven by a bevel gear 55 fast to a shaft 55u on which is also mounted a sprocketwheel i sproclret chain 57 joins wheel 56 and a drive wheel 58 (Figure 2) on counter shaft lt has been previously nientioned thatc'ountershaft 39 is driven by the motor 30, and may be disconnected therefrom'by clutch 45'. rFlins when the clutch 45 isdisengagech both the digging drum and theV elevating drum are idle.

To adjust the height of the conveyer drum 49 there is a screw 59 passing through a fire-ii part ofthe frame ll and engaged therewith by its threads, and securedvat its lower end to the shaft bearing 48,I so that when the screw 59 iS turned the shaft 43 will be raised or lowered.' lt will be under'- st-ood that there are two screws 59 on opposie sides of the machine; a description of how one is turned will sui'iice'for the two.

The screw is connected to a shaft 60 carrying at the upper end bevel gears 6l and G2, oner of which is an idler gear. Both bevel gears Gl andv G2 mesh with a bevel 68, which is supported above frame ll. r ie well lrnown means is employed to engage and'disengage thev shaft 60 from bevel geen GFS, so that the screw 59 'does not rotate eizcept when the operator wants it tof rlhere is a sproclret wheel 64' secured to gear 63 and a chain 165 transmits power thereto from shaft S9.

' l material elevated by the ne l drum 49 is dumped by the drum onto a beltv conveyer, in the vpreferred embodiment of the invention.; aznd'this conveyor is located forwardly of the drum, so that the material is carried out at thev front of the machine. In Figures l and il there are shown two belt conveyers and 73, the former running crosswise of the machine adjacentvr the elevating drum, the latter extending longitudinallyjof the machine and receiving material from the former. and rising to any desired height so that the excavated material may be dropped into wagon or otherwise disposed of. rlhe n'ieans for driving these conv-eyers includes a chain G6 actuated byshaft 55a and in turn driving shaft G7. rEhe bevel gear 68 2) lon shaft 67 meshes withv gear G9 fast to the shaft which drives conveyer 70. lThis oonveyer is located somewhat below 'the' center of the drum 49, as seen in Figure l, and receives all the material elevated by said drum'as the pockets 50 are successively presented bottom side up. lnor'der to guide the dirt onto the belt-TO, there may be boards if above the belt and extending the 'length thereof or at least the width of drum'4 49. The conveyer() is preferably horizontal.

vThe'c'on'veyer 731 is driven by a sprocket chain' 72 also deriving its power from shaft 55a. Any well known mechanism (not shown) maybe usedto adjust the height of the upper end of this conveyer.

At ytheqrearofthe Vmachine there is drive gear for the hind fwheels so that the niachine isv seli'i-propelled. See Figure 5. The motor shaftenteiits to. a point near the rear. axle where a clutch T4 is provided.` Thisclutchiperniits'the power from the ino-` v'tor to be transmitted or disconnected from aY sprocket wheel 74 withwhich `afsprocket` chainf engagesfy rlhis chain drives a-shaftr 76 which enters the diii'erential .gear casing' 77, whereby the rear wheels are driven. Inv

'orderto tighten the chain'T, aflink 7 Sisf swingably mounted on therear end of frame by thefoperator. `The vchainsl 66 and 72,

which transmit power between sprockets mounted onupper frame lland the conveyers whichare carried by the lower traine 10, must also beprovided with vsome means for taking up their slack, althoughl in the drawing such means are'oinitted for the sake ofclearness. 4; i t

The operation ofthe machine may be stated in a .iewwords When/thel motor is started, the operator canl adjust the relative position `of the two frames,and hence the position lof the digging-drum, so `that the teeth 34, 35 of the latter touch the" yroad or pavement surface. Then 'the lclutch fmay be engaged and` afterwards the clutchO,

whereupon the diggingdruin starts rotating and breaks up .the pavement intosmall fragy ments. The speed of 'rotation of the ydrum is changed by shifting gears37, 38 into `or'out of engagement with the gears 86, 35a before the .countershaft 39 ystarts rotatiiig;l Ars the' drinn 33 rotates in a clockwise direction,1it piles up the excavatedvmaterial in vfront oit it, as indicatedin Figure l, andthis material isvlifted by drum 4:9, rotating counfv ter-clockwise. The teeth ofl thel digging drum will cut froniione-hal,inch to siii: inches deep and will' work in dirt, on asphalt, or macadam. The machine operates entirely under its own power and may be `moved from place to place with all its working parts at rest. It'may operate'backward` as well? as. forward on-all dirt roadgvand` to effect backward@movement,any well known form. of reversing gearing lrnayjbe interposed betweenl vthe engine.y vvand the Obviouslv when the machine sprocket 74a. v operates backward,` the elevating. drum i9 is lowered to thek bottoniv of the cut made by the -diggingdruim while'in forward opera-Vl vtion f the drum'fl49 f is somewhat `above the,C t original surface of the roadas seen in Fig-7 ure. l. VThe screws lll which yraise and 'lower4 frame lIl are usually operated" simultanei?" ously; but it is an easy matter orthe voperator to raise `or lower one side of the -fraine at at-iine, becanse'they two sets of screws are as described. i

The machine is 'designedto removefthe'"' suriacevfrornl roadsand` streets, but it cani `be employedA orother uses,` such as in ditching. Y

trative purposes, itfwill be 4understood that many vvchanges from the .above involving omission, reversal, substitution'or alteration of parts might be made without involving invention, and all suchchanges I regard ,as

within the scopeof my inventionwhich is )est deii'ed'in thevicollowing claims.

l. In afmachine of the class described, a mainframe, a digging drum substantially. cylindrical vin form and rotating about al turned by entirely independent mechanisms,`

y have describedin detail onefspey ciiic, enibodiinentvof. iiiy-inventiom for -illushorizontal `artistransv'erse relative-to the nia-` L chine and vertically adjustable relative to said main, frame, said drum carrying a 'pluralityo teeth arranged-rin; r'circular-ciseries, certain of" said yseries being `inade yup of straightl teeth,v the other series being made up .of teeth which are bent intermediatek of their ends, the bent teeth.` and `.straight teeth alter nating longitudinally of the drum, and the bent teeth on eitherside ofthe: medial transverse plane ofthe drum 4,extending in the general direction of .the'nearer end ofthe drum. i 2. In a machine ,of the class described-wa mainframe, a digging drum substantiallyY cylindrical in .form kand rotating, about a horizontal an s transverse relativeto the machine and supported belowsaidniain traine,

lsaid drum carrying 'a plurality of teeth arranged" in circularseries, certain of said seyries'beiiig. inade,r up ci, straight teetlji in-.

clinedwith respect to radialfjlines through vthe axis of; the druni-and'slopingforwardly in ,thej direction oftravell offthe machine when saidte th areintheir lowerniost poe' sition,"the ,other series being; made up ot i ends, the ,bentteeth and straight teeth 'a lternating longitudinally ofthe drum, andthe bent teeth oneithersideo't Ythe `middle of. the

teeth which Vare bent interniediate otheir drum inclined outwardly toward the nearer end ofthe drum. 1 3.111 a machine ofthe Vclassvv described, a digging drum substantially cylindrical in form and rotating aboutahoriaontal axis i transverserelativevto the machine, said drum f carryinga plurality ofwteetlh arranged in circular series,` certainv of; said: .series being made' up of straight teeth, vthe `other p series izio i lll being made up of teeth which are bent in termediate of their ends, the bent teeth and straight teeth alternating longitudinally of the drum, and the bent teeth on either side of the'inedial transverse plane of the drum extending in the general direction of the nearer end of the drum, the teeth in adjacent circular rowsbeing staggered relative to each other.

4. An excavating machine for roads, `pavements and the like', comprising a vehicle having a main frame, an auxiliary frame mounted for vertical adjustment on said main frame, excavating means .supported below said auxiliary frame, a vehicle propelling motor mounted on the auxiliary frame, and means als-o driven by said motor for effecting the vertical adjustments of said auxiliary frame and said excavating means.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of' a main. vehicle frame,l an auxiliary frame on the main frame, excavating means carried by said auxiliary frame, a series of adjusting screws between the main frame and auxiliary frame, a motor on the auxiliary frame connected te pronel the machine and to actuate said excavating means, and clutchv controlled 1power connections between/said motor and said adjusting screws, whereby ene side of the auxiliary frame maybe raised higher than the other for effecting the desired adjustments of said excavating means.

6. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a main frame, an auxiliary frame, excavating means and conveying means independently mounted on the auxiliary frame, a motor for driving beth means, and means interposed between the two frames whereby the auxiliaryk frame may be lifted or lowered to vary the amount of digging done by the excavating mea-ns, and mechanism connectable to the motor for actuating the means interposed between the frames.

7. In a machine of the class described, in combination^ a main frame, an auxiliary frame, a digging drum carried by the auxiliary frame, an elevating drum likewise carried, means for adjusting the position of the auxiliary frame relative to the main frame whereby the height of the digging drum is varied, and means for adjusting the position of the elevating drum independently of the frame adjusting means.

8. In a machine of the class described, in

' combination, a main frame, an auxiliary frame, a digging drum carried by they auxiliary frame, an elevating' drum likewise carried, means for adjusting` the position of the auxiliary frame relative `to the main frame whereby the height of the digging drum is varied, and means for adjusting` the position of the elevating drum independent# ly of the frame adjusting means, and motor driven mechanism'connectable with both of said adjusting means whereby the two adjustments may be made independently at the will of the operator. i

9. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a main frame, an auxiliary frame, a digging drum carried'by the auxiliary frame, an elevating drum likewise carried, means for adjusting the `position of the auxiliary frame relative to 'tlie main frame whereby the height of the digging drum is varied, and meansfo-r adjusting the position of the elevating vdrum independently ofv the frame adjusting means, said frame adjusting means acting independentlyon opposite sides of the auxiliary frame to tilt the frame and hence' the digging drum.

l0. In a maehine of the class described, in combination, a main frame, an'auxiliary e ne', a digging drum carried by the auxy frame, an elevating` drum likewise carried, means for adjusting'the position of the auxiliary frame relative to' theV main frame whereby the height of the'v digging drum is varied, and means for adjustingthe nositionlof the 'elevating drum in'denendeut ly of the frame means, said frame adjusting means acting independently on Opposite sides of the auxiliary frame'to tilt 'the frame and hence the digging drum, and motor driven mechanism connec't'able with both c'f said adjusting means whereby the two adjustments'may be made independently at' the will of theo'perator. l

il. In" a machine of the class deseribed, in cdmbination, a main frame, an 'auxiliary frame adjustably supported'thereon, au ex cavating element carried by the auxiliary frame, an elevating element likewise ca'rried, conveying means .supported on the main frame', and means whereby the auxiliary frame' may be tilted transversely of the machine.

12. In a machine ofthe classdescribed, in combination. a main frame, an auxiliary frame adjustably supported thereon, an excavating element carried by the auxiliary fra-me, an elevating element likewise carried, and adjustable in a ver'tical'direction on the auxiliary frame by independently operated means, conveying means supuerted on the main frame, and means whereby the auxiliary frame may be tilted transversely of the machine.

13. In a machine of the class described., the combination of two' relatively adjustable frames, one of which carries a motor, a digging element, material lifting means, and mechanism whereby the motor drives said element and said means, means driven by said motor for lifting and lowering the frame which carries lsaid element and means, the other frame beingmounted on wheels, and means whereby the motor drives the highway.

rear Wheels `to* propel the machinealong a l 14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of amain frame, an auX- iliary frame supported by the main frame, a digging element' on the auxiliary frame, material elevating means on the same frame,V means for raising or lowefing the auxiliary frame or tilting it transversely `in either direction, and mean's'foi1 adjusting the height 10k as my own, I have hereto ailiXed my signa-115 ture.

n y DANIEL SHAW MONROE." Y' 'i "l 4- the adjustment of 'the auxiliary f, 1 

